Method and apparatus for generating electricity.



D. P. OOMSTOOK. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATI ELECTRICITY.

APPLICATION TILED NOV! 10,1

Patented Feb. 9, 191.5.

Inn, 1060B. 3*:

nnrrnn STATES PATENT onricn.

[whom it may concern Beit known that I, DANIEL F. COMSTOCK, 'itizen of the United States, residing at ikline in the county of Norfolk and S teof .assaeh'usetts, have invented cern ewand useful Improvements in Methds and Apparatus for Generating Elec- "clty; and I do. hereby declare the folrug to be a full, clear, and exact deso ip'tion ofithe'invention, such as will enothers skilled in the art to which it ap- 1 n' s tomake and use the same, j "l:lie. "present invention has to do with a apparatus for the generatiol'i (if; electricity directly from heat by means of heions or electrons. M e object of the present invention is to pg'oduce .a ;1nethod and an apparatus whereb" lectrical energy my be obtained difrom the heat inergy of a combusother object of the invention is to pro- ;a method and anapparatus for guidand-controlling the ions or electrons. i e above objects in view the pres I ntiQn consists in the method and up -.or. generating electricity hereinn the claims. l' nasul'istance is heated to a suflicient "tune, charged ions or electrons are imn off. Whether the ions are mostly eor negative, depends on various except when the.-:iieated body is acuuni, in which case the emitted efly electrons. These electrons egg! negatively charged and their charge is lar, i proportion to their mass.

lgqrdinga to modern electrical theory, .40 the-el e'ctron is the ultimate unit of electrig" ethefundamental entity sseience of; electricity. According to this thee :an-,electric current can be considered LS-1L stream of these electrons moving bodi through the minute spaces wliich'exist i thesubstance of the conducting wire.

' .in ce the. charge of the electron is negative,

the ggql ectron stream runs through the Wire in anr opp-osite direction to What is ordia 'narilyzspoken of as the direction of the elec- .tricfolrrrent According to this highly probdjlekiniitlerntheory, the state of affairs inside-(1 iota] somewhat as follows: There are nt atdms of the metal and electrons, the l 2 being very much smaller than the x Specification of Letters Patent.

;glescr ibcd. and particularly pointed' in the 1 certain number of these elec-.

DANIEL F. COMST'OCK, 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY.

Patented Feb; 9, 1915.

Application filed November 10, 1911. Serial No. 659,540.

trons are not permanently attached to the atoms and are consequently called free electrons. The atoms contain permanently which contains less than the normal number of electrons. The atoms and electrons within a body are in a state of ceaseless vibration which we call heat. What We know as the temperature of a body corresponds to the violence of this vibration. Althougl'i some of the electrons within a metal are free, no appreciable number can escape under ordinary conditions nto'the space surrounding the metal, because the attrac 'tions of the n'ietal atoms for the electrons is too great. \Vhen, however, the violence of vibration, or more strictly speaking, the kinetic energy, is increased by raising the temperature of the body, a state is finally reached in which a considerable number of the free electrons at the surfaceof the metal have enough velocity to overcome the attraction of the metal and they thus shoot out into the surri'uindiug space. The process ofexpelling electrons from heated metal or from bodies in general. is, therefore, some what similar to evaporation of a liquid, and if, can be shown that the process admits of thermo-dynaniic treatment in :1 correspond mg way. p

It will be clear from the above that the driving off of electrons from a metal by, means of high temperature involves the dis-f appearance of heat, and the appearance Of" thc'energy of electric separation, that ist-the, electric energy corresponding to the ne tive charge removed from the metal. It is also clear that when electrons are absorbed by a metal. there is a corresponding appearance of heat at the expense of electric energy. The process of electron emission from a hot body and electron absorption in a. cold body, therefore, is available for the transformation of heat energy into electric energy'in accordance with the fundamental 1:20 a r e the linesmf force of the ma This force will cause the rapidly 'mo willbe thrown off as above explained, some 151015: the heat energy .beingutilized in overcoming. the'attrnctioilfof the body for the electrons. In this Way theenergy of the heat is-directly transformed into the energy of electric separation,

ect'r'ons shot out from-the heatedjbody;

Or, in other words, the 'heated body' be coniespositively chnrgedbeta'nse ai -electric current has been prodnced by the stream of 2 electrons.

- ted by theheated body "mpinges upon or is directed against another body," this'second body becomes negatively charged and also heated. It is therefore necessary that some.

means provided for cooling the second I body or substance, as'jwell ash ating' the;

first body or substance;i -Mored if the r cool secondbody is in a direct liig'iivitlithe heated first-body, 'tlie radiant heatfrom "the" fafll' upon' the second body,

as first body will.

"thus tending'to 'atr'ansfer of heat between" V. 1 the hot and cold bodies independently- 0f I ,thetrsns'fer ofheatfbyithe electrons,"andto a consequent loss of efliciencyl To prevent- 40' the r d'ant' heatg i the fi t; .1 Y* 0 falling. upon the second body,-'it is desitable to' screen the secondbody from the "radiant "heat of thekfi'rst body This necessitates moving the electrons in a curved guidethe electrons infa curved 'ath advan-= I d; the-lines f force, ofjilvhich extend; etiwee'ny the hot,

tage is taken of af magnetic "and cold Ibo ies. The 'r&tiolofthe'electric liers? t hemes; of: en; s em M 1 designa'tech- -is so greet-1 thatthe forcesof" inertia areiioften negligible inlrelatioii Tto the 'electro-magnetic .for'cej on the electron due to its. mot on throngh' a ,-moderately 5 strong magneticfieldg; If; an electronois projected across is; magnetic-field it isigtibr i I 7' f jected to a, forceacting ati-right angles' to f l its pathfof motion and atfright angles g'netic fi electron to move in aczrcularlpath 'wjhe ever anattempt its madeto pro]ect it trans-- 'versely to the direction of the lines-of for'cejj flel-lof the magnetic field. If on the other hand 6 the electron 'i's prb jetted in the direction of the electrical energy, pearing'simultaneonjslywith the liberated If the stream/bfelectrons-emit in practical? in comparison to their mass- However, the

electrons by 'means of a magneticifield -SIZG- s thdtieldiWhile-the greater mess fof t the lines of force of the field therewill be no electro-magnetic force due to the field acting on the electron since it does not out the lines of magnetic force. The ma netio field, therefore, presents the remar sable quality of being a conductor in the direction of'it's lines of force for electrons and of pre venting the electrons from moving great distances transversely to the lines of force unless their speed is very high; Therefore, a magnetic field having its linesof force extending between the electron-emittingand the electron absorbing bodies will "guide the electrons between them. The magnetic field offers no; resistance to the'move'ment' of an 3' electron in the direction of the lines of force so that the component of its velocity along;

. the line of force is unopposed; but since mo tion across the lines'of magnetic force causes" the electron to move n asmall circle, the 3 resultant motion ate-moving electron in; a,

magnetic field will be ahelic'al path long magnetic field of moderate density the diameter of the helix in which amelectron travels is so minute-thatthe electrons travel straight lines .along the lines of force an cannot escape'from 'the'mag-'- netic field. In-this manner the stream of electrons can be directed around corners or; e in fact; inany path in whichjtheylinesof force ofa. magnetic field cagfbf'elmaintained; 1,6 In the foregoing general statement the electrons which'have been considered, 'ds sess negative charges which are ery-gr et; I

principle of the guiding of the negative 16 be applied'to the separation of ions ofdi ferentmass, because; other ions; md particnlarl'y the positive ions, have'e mass 1 which ,1smuch greater in comparison, "w th 11( their electric. charge, and'therefore jvhile t. the greatness 'ofthe charge .c'omparison to the mass of the electrons causes the zineia tie due' toltheir mass to be negligible so that they. cannot traversea magnetic field but are guided along;- parallel to of force,

the mass of the ions whichQ-efe I ojfjetomiclarge enough .incompn fison tojthe so thatfthel-intertia .of-these 2;)

electric charge.

i 'll y" hem-fors'ome'disfance across field T eref ewtogsepsrdte 'ipfosi oi atbmic size will carrygthem 1 iii an electric current terial 24. Cold water is led the plate 10.

field beyond a place at which the ions of negligible mass were arrested. Since a vacuum allows the passage of the electrons, it is preferable to maintain a vacuum between the hot and cold bodies of such degree of exhaustion as is most favorable to the passage of the electrons. 1 The present invention is illustrated in the drawing which shows, more or less diagrammatically, an elevation, taken partly in section, of an electric encrator for producing irectly from the heat of combustion.

Referring to the drawing, a vacuum chamber 2 is formed in a tube 4 which is bent at right angles at 6. The tube may be formed of any material which will not allow air to leak through it and which will withstand heat.

10. The plate 8 is made of heat resisting material, and is preferably made either of a solid plate of a sufficiently electropositive metal or of a plate coated on its inner face with such a metal. The plate 8 is insulated from the walls of the tubel by means of an insulating bushing 12. This bushing is made of some heat resisting insulatin material and .forms an air-tight holder 'or the plate 8. The plate 8 is adapted to be heated to a red or White heat so that it will. emit electrically charged ions or electrons. The plate 8 is illustrated as being heated by a gas flame 14. although a coal fire or any other means which would give sufficient heat might be used. A conductor 16 is brought through an insulated bushing 18 and is connected at 20 to the plate 8. The plate 10 is made of metal and is adapted to be kept cold by 'a stream of water; For this purpose the plate 10 is made hollow to provide a water chamber 22. The chamber 22 is lined with insulating mainto the water chamber 22 through an inlet pipe 26 and discharged through an outlet pipe 28. means of the flame l'l. andthe Water, a Wide difference in temperature is maintained be tween the plates 8 and 10, and as is Well mown from the laws of thermodynamics, the greater the differences in temperature between the heat source and heat sink. the greater the eliiciency of the apparatus from 1 thermodynamic standpoint. The plate 10 is insulated from the tube 4 by means of a collar 30 of insulating material which forms an air-tight joint between the tube 4 and A conductor 32 is connected at 34 to the plate 10. A pipe connection 36 runs to a vacuum pump by means of which the chamber 2 exhausted to a high vacuum, The tube 1C is wrapped in a. heat retaini up" packing 38 such as asbestos Around the lower end. of the tube in close proximity to the flame 14 is placed a ring of fire briclr 40. A-magnetic fieldis maintained in the The end walls of thevacuum chamber are formed by plates 8 and vacuum chamber by means of a magnetizing coil 46 wound around on the outside of the asbestos packing and adapted to conduct a direct current coming from some suitable source through the wires 47. The lines of magnetic force through the magnetizing coil 46 and the inclosed vacuum chamber 2 will extend between the plates 8 and 10, making a right angle turn at 6 where the tube and coil turn. Since the vacuum chamher turns at 6, the radiant heat from the hot plate 8 will not fall directlv upon the cold plate l0 so that the useless transfer of heat between the plates by radiation is minimized. However, since the lines of magnetic force extend from the plate 8 to the plate 10, the negatively charged ions or electrons will move along the lines of force so that a stream of negatively charged ions or electrons is emitted from the hot plate 8, is ,uided through the vacuum chamber 2, an impinges upon the cold plate 10. This stream of 1072;; is in reality an electric current so that the plate 8 is maintained at a higher electric potential than at plate 10 and an electric current will flow out through the wire 16, through an external consumption circuit and back through the wire 32 to the cold plate 10. In this way the heat of the fire .l-l is converted directly into electric energy. Since the plate or Wall 8 of the vacuum chamber may be directly heated to a high temperature by burning material, the operation of this electric generator is very simple. The heat of the burning material is directly applied to the hot body or substance and heats it to such a degree that it emits chewed ions or electrons. 'The negativel charged ions or electrons are conducte to a cold body or'substance and.

the electric current formed by the stream of negatively charged ions or electrons is led off as a direct current through the conducting wires.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been specifically illustrated and described, it is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be practised in methods and embodied in other forms of apparatus within the purview of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

I claiml. The method of obtaining electric .energy directly from the heat nergy of combustible material which consists in causing the combustion. of said material to directly raise the temperature of a substance to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons. and absorbing said ions or electrons by a substance at a lower temperature, whereby a diiicrence of electrical potential is caused between the hot and the cold substance mibstantially as discribed.

:3. The method of obtaining electric enorgy directly from the heat energy of combustible material which consists inheating a substance to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons, and guiding said tially as described.

' trons, and

4. The method of obtaining electric energy directly from the heat energy of combustible material which consists in causing combustion ofsaid material to raise directly the temperature of some substance to such a degree that it emits charged ions or elecin causing said ions or electrons to traverse a vacuum and be absorbed by a substance maintained at a lower temperature whereby a difierence of electrical potential is maintained between the hot and cold substances, substantially as described.

b'ustible adapted to taining a ma force extending between I bination,

the other wall, means 5. The method of producing electricity which consists in heating a substance to such adegree that it emits charged .ions or electrons, and guiding said charged ions or electrons by means of a magnetic field toa second body maintained'at a lower tempera ture than the first body, whereby the difference of electrical potential is maintained between the bodies, substantially' as described.

6. An electric generator, having, in combination, a vacuum chamber having one wall adapted to be heated directly by a commaterial to such a degree that it emits charged ions or' electrons and another wall adapted to be kept cool to absorb said charged ions or electrons, lating said two walls from each other, and electrical connections leading from said walls, substantially as described.

7. An electric generator having, in combination, a vacuum chamber having one wall be kept hot and another wall adapted to be kept cold, means for mainetic field having its lines of said two walls, means for insulating said walls from each other, and electrical connections leadin from said walls, substantially as describe 1-8. An electric generator, having, in coma vacuum chamber "having two walls insulated from each other, means for heating one wall directly bycombustible material to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons,

for maintaining a magnetic field through the vacuum having means for msu means for cooling.

its lines of force extending between said hot and cold walls, and electrical connec bination, a vacuum chamber having 1 two.

walls insulated from each other and so situated that radiant heat cannot pass directly from one wall to the other, means for heat ing one wall directly from a combustible material to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons, means for main taining the other wall at a lower temperature, means for maintaining a magnetic. field through the vacuum having itslines of force extending between said walls, and electrical connections leading, from, said walls, substantially as described.

10. .An electric generator having, in combination, a vacuum chamber having one wall. adapted to be heated to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons and hav ing another wall maintained at a lower temperature, said colder wall being so situated that it will not directly receive radiant heat from the warmer wall, means for maintaining a magnetic field having its lines of force extending between said walls, means for insulating said walls from each other, and electrical connections leadin from said walls,

bination, a vacuum chambezaii having two walls insulated from each other, means for heating one wall directly by a combustible material to such i: temperature that'itemits charged ions or electrons, means or mainsubstantially as describe '11. 'An electric generator having, 111 com taining the other wall at a lower temperature, means each other, ing from said walls, scribed.

12. An electric generator having, in comand electrical connections leadk substantially as defor insulating said wallsfronr.

bination, a substance adapted to be heated to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons, at second substance maintained at lowertemperature than said first sub stance and arranged to receiveand absorb 'the charged ions or electrons emitted from' the first substance, means for insulating said substances from each other, and means for conducting away the electric current causedby the emission and absorption of the charged ions or electrons, substantially as described.

1.3. An electric generator having, in combination, a substance adapted to be heated to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons, a second substance adapted to be maintained at a lower temperature than the first substance and arranged to receive and absorb the charged ions or electrons emitted from the first substance, means for maintaining a magnetic field having its lines of force extending between said subfrom each other,

stances, means for insulating said substances and means for conductlng away the electric current caused by the emission and absorption of the charged ions bination, such a degree that it emits or electrons, substantially as described.

14. An electric generator having, in combination, a vacuum chamber having two walls insulated from each other and screened from each other to prevent direct interchange of radiant heat, means for heating one Wall to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons, and means for cooling the other wall, substantially as described.

15. An electric generator having, in coma body adapted to be heated to electrons, a body adapted to be maintained at a lower temperature than the first body, and means for screening the second body from the radiant heat of the first body, sub- .stanti ally as described.

16. The method of conveying ionic electric charges from one bod to another which consists indicating the rst body to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons,J-guiding the charged ions or electrons by means of a magnetic field to the second body, said second body being maintained at a lower temperature than the first body, substantially as described.

17. The method of conveying ionic electric charges from one body to another which consists in heating the first body to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons, and conducting said charged ions or charged ions or,

electrons through a vacuum by means of a magnetic field the lines of force of which extend between the two bodies, the second body being maintained at a lower temperature than the first body, substantially as described.

18. The method of se arating ions or electrons of large mass f i'om those of small mass which consists in the use of a ma netic field of such strength that the ions or electrons of large mass are allowed to pass across the field while the ions or electrons of small mass are guided in the direction of the lines of force of said field, substantially as described.

19. The method of separatingions or elec trons of large mass from those of small mass which consists in the use of a magnetic field of such strength that the ions or electrons of large mass are allowed to pass across the field while the ions or electrons of small mass are prevented from passing, substantially as described.

20. An electric generator having, in combination, a vacuum chamber having two walls insulated from each other and means for reducing the interchange of radiant heat therebetween, means for heating one wall to such a degree that it emits charged ions or electrons, and means for cooling the other wall, substantially as described.

DANIEL F. COMSTOCK. Witnesses:

GEORGE E. STEBBINS, HORACE VAN EVEREN. 

